Northwest NEWS

Duvall victimized by Christmas mail thefts

DUVALL--The Duvall postmaster says he suspects youngsters are responsible for a rash of mail thefts in the area that happened the week before Christmas.

"We think kids did it because checks and credit cards were not taken," said Postmaster Robert Westfall. "It appeared they were looking for cash that relatives might have been sending for Christmas."

Westfall said the thieves were so brazen they even went onto porches to take packages. He said residents called after seeing mail left in ditches and scattered around rural mailboxes.

Westfall drove to the areas where mail had been reported dumped and recovered whatever he could find. "Mail was ripped open and torn," he said. "It was difficult to match some of it up, but we did the best we could by trying to put pieces together."

He said there is a small amount of mail left at the post office that has not been claimed. "If anyone thinks they are missing anything, they should come and take a look," Westfall said.